As numbers go, 1.37 is pretty unassuming. In terms of game updates, it's the sort of number that would herald a percentage decrease in assault rifle bullet drop, the removal of Herobrine, or the fixing of a rare bug that caused all enemies to be jam. But major game changing features? Surely you'd save that for a proper tenth decimal place.

Not if you're War Thunder, apparently. Their 1.37 patch is a significant update, bringing fancier visual flair through DirectX 11 support, as well as new planes, a new custom missions system, and completely redesigned unlock progression. A developer video rounds up the changes of this numerically surprising patch.

While the fancier graphics and speedier optimisation are a nice touch, it's the progression system that will have the largest impact on the game. "We planned the new system from the very beginning of development," write Gaijin , "but we are introducing it now, as the number of available aircraft in the research tree is close to the original planned release tree."

To unlock a new plane you'll now need to research the previous one in its national branch. Planes have also been reorganised into five ranks, with various conditions needing to be reached before a player is able to unlock the next rank. Gaijin Entertainment say that the new system will allow players to better focus on their chosen branch, and that it will also level the playing field to an extent - ensuring experienced players won't have too much of an advantage come the release of the Ground Forces update.